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EFCC seeks arrest of Iboriís associate

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday urged Justice Mohammed Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kaduna to issue a bench warrant against Ms. Udoamaka Okoronkwo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday urged Justice Mohammed Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kaduna to issue a bench warrant against Ms. Udoamaka Okoronkwo.

Okoronkwo, who is currently standing trial for money laundering with the former Delta State Governor, Mr. James Ibori, was reportedly arrested in France in connection with the investigations into the alleged money laundering involving Ibori in London.

EFCCís lawyer, Mr. Adebisi Adeniyi, who made the request at the resumed hearing of the trial in Kaduna, said that the issuance of the bench warrant against the accused who was not in court had become imperative.

According to Adebisi, the accused had violated one of the terms of her bail conditions by travelling to France where the French police arrested her last month and later extradited her to the United Kingdom where she was currently being detained.

Opposing the EFCCís request, the lawyer to both Ibori and Okoronkwo, Mr. Ade Okeaya, argued that it would be premature to take such an action.

Okeaya informed the court that they had already protested formally to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation that the said arrest was an abuse of court process.

He said that a copy of the said protest letter had been forwarded to the court for the records.

Justice Shuaibu, however, said that since it was the first time the accused was absent from the trial, it would be a miscarriage of justice to issue a bench warrant against her.

The judge then adjourned the trial of the accused till January 14, 2009.